Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] How many of you really fix your harps?

["pgraber@xxxxxxxxxxx" <pgraber@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Elizabeth,
Yes, I remember you guys...we first met in the restaurant and fell into the jam out in the lobby, thus getting behind in the cocktails...fun time...we still caught the Sat night show, which 
was great! I just into Harp-l not too long ago, mainly from my first SPAH exposure. Tough keeping up with all the messages, though. The security strips I mentioned, work just like feeler gauges as they are made of metal, .001" thick, long enough to work with, and FREE. Learned the trick from Bill Price (VA). They put them on some packages in the stores. When you buy something that has one, take it apart and you'll find the thin strip of metal.
I've been interested in all the writings on the chromatic extinction. Many points have been made. It's tough to master (I'm continually learning). It costs more than diatonic, but not compared to buying a whole set of keyed diatonics. Diatonics just seem to have better tone on blues tunes than chromatic, note bending is easier, but I've been known to really jam out blues on my chromatic, too. Perhaps, I am the next generation of chromatic players needed to spread the music (at 51)? I don't play in trios or anything, nor do polkas. But I play classic rock, jazz, and standards on chromatic. We got to jam at the Bonfiglio Seminar. Some heard me playing some (different stuff?) on harmonica than usually played...I had a good time doing it in the lobby at SPAH too with Danny from Ohio...tunes like "Just a Gigolo", "I Will Survive", and "Moondance". I play everywhere and any opportunity. In my small circles, the chromatic will not die. I feel like an ambassador for it. It's just a matter of playing well enough to get the respect it deserves. It's been mentioned that harmonica players usually don't study music theory or anything (and I'm guilty), but if you sound good, that is many times overlooked, even by pro musicians.
Great tone and phrasing with feeling means so much to the music. So much of this was also covered by Bonfiglio.
Harp-l'ers, here is a story I have from 8th grade. I had general music class in public school. Music teacher (educated/degree in music?) was comparing a harmonica to a kazoo! This was breaking my heart. Cause I was already playing many songs on my diatonic harp and didn't think at all, it was like humming into a kazoo. He felt that my bucked teeth would fit into a clarinet instead! I never took music again after that! And this was a music educator's view of the harmonica? I wish I could find that guy today and give him a piece of me! I'm sure there are many more stories similar to mine. The harmonica to many is a toy, a kazoo, a cheap thing that makes noise. It's up to us to change the public opinion.
Many instruments' sounds are being made electronically. They even have synths of harmonica. But, they never have that 'feeling' that only the live player can do.
Well, what started as a reply to Eliz, has gone to a few topics. Sorry.
If you're at the Garden State Festival, come introduce yourself to me and let me know you're also a Harp-l'er.
Pete Graber
http://harmonicapete.port5.com